OK, so this time, I'm smirking a bit...

On Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:09:23 GMT, "Tom Littleton" wrote:


"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
.. .
The guy gives up a huge Hollywood salary and puts a highly
successful acting career on hold to take a low paying job
as a public servant and you *SMIRK* ? Well, doesn't that
just speak volumes.

while Ken's evaluation of his acting talent and career arc might be a bit
over the top, I get the same overall impression. What's to *smirk* about?
Tom

Hmmm...first, taking you two quasi-literally for just a second, he ain't exactly
Burton or Olivier, or even Brad Pitt or Owen Wilson. Also, depending on his
exact title, he ain't exactly making minimum wage in a DR to White House - he
could well be making 100-150K plus benefits, perqs, etc., etc. - granted, not a
"huge Hollywood salary," but it ain't washing windshields for spare change,
either.

As to Kalpin/"Kal Penn" himself, if he were a Danica McKellar type and the
position was as an education advocate, fair enough - hell, even he were Bono and
was appointed to the President's Advisory Board on Wearing Faggish Sunglassses
At Inappropriate Times - but this guy (and I've heard various versions as to
whether he even was graduated with a BA - some saying yes, some no) was a film
student, with (again, AFAIK) no serious work experience beyond acting and now he
is, in Obama's own words, helping keep "the front door of the White House"...

Long story short, this is another example of Obama's promised change, which had
real potential (at least as real as "real" is in DC) gone native. What's next,
Tommy Chong as "Drug Czar?"

He talked the talk, had the mandate to walk the talk, and as I feared, he's in,
and he wants to discuss the walking, modify the talking, and all in all, dance
around the discussing of how he can walk and chew gum...bull**** - he either
needs to step up and lead, damn the torpedoes, or scoot his ass off to the
sidelines...and Kumar Goes To The White House ain't gonna do it, real-world...

HTH,
R

HTH,
R
...."...you're doing one heck of a job, Penseter..."...

On Apr 8, 9:36*pm, wrote:

Here we are, less that 100 days out and Richard, you are batting,
what? about .87. Wow. Hardly missed a beat. Most days something new.
Obama picked his nose wrong. Obama appointed the wrong person. etc
etc.

Recession? Obama's not handling it right.
What do you think of Obama's choice of dog? We are all ears.
When are we going to get your take on Michelle's upper arm strength?
How about Obama's choice of ties?

This day after day **** is creepy. But I think I may understand it
yet. See, year after year, you defended tooth and nail a man in active
contention for the "worst President in history" title. You slaved in
that vineyard, with some of the most bizarre reasoning ever seen on
this site. And how were you rewarded? With incompetence, theivery,
corruption and bad ju ju. But still you toiled on. Oh on occasion you
denied you cared. But you did care. And so for two full terms G.W.Bush
and you, Cheney and you, Dennis and Tommy and you, brothers in the
cause. Wrong on EVERY prediction, WRONG on every choice. Not wrong via
debate; Wrong by virtue of fact. Never could get a break but . . .
Faithful till the end.

Not a pretty sight to see an obviously intelligent man, who so loved
this unrewarding and bankrupt political team, to be so committed that
he prostrated himself in abject loyalty in the face of incompetence
and corruption. It must have been really difficult.

But happy days are here. Now your team can go back to what they are
good at; harassment. I watched Hannity last night. What a martinet.
But it gave me an insight into what Obama evokes in wingnuts; Clearly,
Obama's superior intelligence, leadership, and masterful speaking
style just drives folks of the bankrupt persuasion crazy. Change is
what America voted for and change is what is happening.

Dave

On Wed, 8 Apr 2009 23:00:03 -0700 (PDT), DaveS wrote:

On Apr 8, 9:36*pm, wrote:

Here we are, less that 100 days out and Richard, you are batting,
what? about .87. Wow. Hardly missed a beat. Most days something new.
Obama picked his nose wrong. Obama appointed the wrong person. etc
etc.

Recession? Obama's not handling it right.
What do you think of Obama's choice of dog? We are all ears.
When are we going to get your take on Michelle's upper arm strength?
How about Obama's choice of ties?

I think you're much more suited to that type of critique. In fact, I'd go so
far as to say that you and Beanie are perfectly suited to engage in a
"Point/Counterpoint" type of thing on such weighty matters as Obama's snot,
ties, and pets...

This day after day **** is creepy. But I think I may understand it
yet. See, year after year, you defended tooth and nail a man in active
contention for the "worst President in history" title. You slaved in
that vineyard, with some of the most bizarre reasoning ever seen on
this site.

Wow, I did? Damndest thing, but I cannot remember ever typing or uttering
anything that might even be twisted into suggesting that I thought Bush was
anything other than, at best, an average POTUS of slightly above-average
intelligence.

And how were you rewarded? With incompetence, theivery,
corruption and bad ju ju.

Oh, wait - which of the last 44, including this one, are you talking about...?

But still you toiled on. Oh on occasion you denied you cared. But you did care.
And so for two full terms G.W.Bush and you, Cheney and you, Dennis and Tommy
and you, brothers in the cause.

Ah, OK, so it is Bush...

Wrong on EVERY prediction, WRONG on every choice. Not wrong via
debate; Wrong by virtue of fact. Never could get a break but . . .
Faithful till the end.

Ya gotta love your obviously-blind hypocrisy...

Not a pretty sight to see an obviously intelligent man, who so loved
this unrewarding and bankrupt political team, to be so committed that
he prostrated himself in abject loyalty in the face of incompetence
and corruption. It must have been really difficult.

Not at all...in fact, one would be correct in saying that I've dealt with it as
if it never even happened...

But happy days are here.

Absolutely - you jumped the shark many years ago...

Now your team can go back to what they are good at; harassment.
I watched Hannity last night.

I didn't - it was sorta like, well, every other night he's on...um, you do mean
on TV, right...?

What a martinet.

Um, a "martinet," Gracie? Hang on, you don't actually mean to say "martian" or
"maraschino" or "canard a l'orange" or something, do you...?

But it gave me an insight into what Obama evokes in wingnuts; Clearly,
Obama's superior intelligence, leadership, and masterful speaking
style

Hey, I've acknowledged the latter (at least insofar as his speech-making
ability) since he first came upon the scene...thus far, however, the jury is
still out on the former two...and I particularly note that you, like many other
blind devotees, never brag about his alleged common sense...

just drives folks of the bankrupt persuasion crazy. Change is
what America voted for and change is what is happening.

Nope. "America" didn't vote for jack ****, but what most of those in the US who
voted for "change" really voted for was getting their own way, just like most of
those who voted for McCain, Bush (in 2000, not 2004), Kerry, Gore, Clinton (in
92, not 96), etc., etc., etc.

Dave

HTH,
R

On Apr 9, 6:06*am, wrote:

What a martinet.

Um, a "martinet," Gracie? *Hang on, you don't actually mean to say "martian" or
"maraschino" or "canard a l'orange" or something, do you...?


Here Junior, let me help you out, or more correctly let the Wiki help
you out

"In English, the term martinet is usually used not in reference to the
whip itself, but rather him who would use it, a person who demands
strict adherence to set rules, especially such a person in the
military. This sense of the word reputedly comes from the name of Jean
Martinet, Inspector General of the army of Louis XIV and thus would be
etymologically only by accident related to the earlier sense.
In an extended sense, a martinet is any person for whom a strict
adherence to rules and etiquette is paramount: martinets often use
etiquette and other rules as an excuse to trump ethics, to the point
that etiquette loses its ethical ground. The Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
was famously described as a "strutting martinet" by Time in 1977.[1] "

Dave

On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 19:15:48 -0700 (PDT), DaveS wrote:

On Apr 9, 6:06*am, wrote:

What a martinet.

Um, a "martinet," Gracie? *Hang on, you don't actually mean to say "martian" or
"maraschino" or "canard a l'orange" or something, do you...?


Here Junior, let me help you out, or more correctly

let the Wiki help you out

Maybe you ought to Wiki up something for yourself, there, Daffy...

"In English, the term martinet is usually used not in reference to the
whip itself, but rather him who would use it, a person who demands
strict adherence to set rules, especially such a person in the
military. This sense of the word reputedly comes from the name of Jean
Martinet, Inspector General of the army of Louis XIV and thus would be
etymologically only by accident related to the earlier sense.
In an extended sense, a martinet is any person for whom a strict
adherence to rules and etiquette is paramount: martinets often use
etiquette and other rules as an excuse to trump ethics, to the point
that etiquette loses its ethical ground. The Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
was famously described as a "strutting martinet" by Time in 1977.[1] "

As I said, I don't watch Hannity, but I did occasionally watch Hannity and
Colmes, and I must say, the first time I saw it, I thought, "Boy, that Hannity
guy is _EXACTLY_ like a white Idi Amin"...his exaggerated military bearing and
repeated citing of "Robert's Rules of Order" and "Emily Post," even to
off-camera personnel, did seem a bit odd and excessive...

HTH,
R
....OTOH, maybe it was just all the festoonery on Hannity's Gilbert and Sullivan
inspired uniform...he is the very model of a modern Ugandan dictator...

Dave

On Apr 9, 9:11*pm, wrote:
Ah ha!!!!
Now I know for sure we got you Boo****s on the run.
You can tell when they start to turn on their heroes, like Rick here
just did on one of the their main mentors, Mr. Martinet Hannity, the
whackjob, Mr. Boo**** Leader Maximo of the Boo****skies, Mr FOX,
Ruperts favorite Boot Licker Hannahosuckmaster, and all round
****ant.

Up to this point his resolve was solid and Der Plan was underway.
Possibly under the very leadership of the secretive, Senor Rick.

#1, Send in the BeanMan, let him get under their skin with his
mindless troweling on of **** made up in the mind of head Druguser in
Chief, Limpback and his gang, The Anal Warts.

#2. Then along come Rick, smoking jacket and all, Deconstructionista,
master of disaster in the reasoning and logic areana, true believer in
every act of Bush and Cheney, loyal in spite of it all, unshakable in
the defense of incompetence, unmoved by continous acts of Bush
stupidity and out of control spending, . . . along come Rick with the
daily made up ****y harassment of the Obama Prez, from day one. What
unquestioning loyalty. Better than Rin Tinny Tin.

#3 And the Rice a Roni? The Anal Warts!!!!!!!!! Those wild and crazy
guys, those silly ass biters, . . . from California to the
Massachusetts Highlands. . . sing it Mz Laura, those Fox and Rush
stalled warts, well you fill in the rest.

But like Raygun's mind in his second term, the plan is not working.
The people have a memory. They remember all too well how the Boo****s
wanted to steal their Social Security accounts. They remember who in
the Bush Whitehouse betrayed US CIA agents to cover up Presidential
lies, They know who signed the blank checks to the banks. They know
about the stolen money that should have been used to help our soldiers
get Bin Ladin.

Dave

On Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:07:28 -0700 (PDT), Daffy Duck wrote:

Ah ha!!!!
Now I know for sure we got you Boo****s on the run.
You can tell when they start to turn on their heroes, like Rick here
just did on one of the their main mentors, Mr. Martinet Hannity, the
whackjob, Mr. Boo**** Leader Maximo of the Boo****skies, Mr FOX,
Ruperts favorite Boot Licker Hannahosuckmaster, and all round
****ant.

Up to this point his resolve was solid and Der Plan was underway.
Possibly under the very leadership of the secretive, Senor Rick.

#1, Send in the BeanMan, let him get under their skin with his
mindless troweling on of **** made up in the mind of head Druguser in
Chief, Limpback and his gang, The Anal Warts.

#2. Then along come Rick, smoking jacket and all, Deconstructionista,
master of disaster in the reasoning and logic areana, true believer in
every act of Bush and Cheney, loyal in spite of it all, unshakable in
the defense of incompetence, unmoved by continous acts of Bush
stupidity and out of control spending, . . . along come Rick with the
daily made up ****y harassment of the Obama Prez, from day one. What
unquestioning loyalty. Better than Rin Tinny Tin.

#3 And the Rice a Roni? The Anal Warts!!!!!!!!! Those wild and crazy
guys, those silly ass biters, . . . from California to the
Massachusetts Highlands. . . sing it Mz Laura, those Fox and Rush
stalled warts, well you fill in the rest.

But like Raygun's mind in his second term, the plan is not working.
The people have a memory. They remember all too well how the Boo****s
wanted to steal their Social Security accounts. They remember who in
the Bush Whitehouse betrayed US CIA agents to cover up Presidential
lies, They know who signed the blank checks to the banks. They know
about the stolen money that should have been used to help our soldiers
get Bin Ladin.

Daffy Duck

There.

HTH,
R

"DaveS" wrote in message
...
On Apr 9, 9:11 pm, wrote:
Ah ha!!!!.....much snipped
The people have a memory. They remember all too well how the Boo****s
wanted to steal their Social Security accounts. They remember who in
the Bush Whitehouse betrayed US CIA agents to cover up Presidential
lies, They know who signed the blank checks to the banks. They know
about the stolen money that should have been used to help our soldiers
get Bin Ladin.

Hell, I'm a longtime Democrat, and I don't believe much of the above(or the
snipped part). The US public has the long-term memory, collectively, of a
hamster. I will gladly wait to be proven wrong, but doubt I'll see that.....
Tom

wrote in message
...
Long story short, this is another example of Obama's promised change

in a very real way, it may be. The upside of the Obama victory, and the
folks who propelled it, is an interest in public service by folks outside
the usual bureaucracy. As a more minor example, I have a friend from the
campaign who is so fired up by the idea of service, that he is going to
leave his IT job to run for Prothonotory in Berks County. Roughly, a 60% pay
drop to do so, but that is how Obama affected folks, insofar as a new
dedication to public service. And, getting new blood into the area of public
service is among many changes sorely needed. So, once again, smirk
away......I really think you are determined to miss the point. Change is
happening out there, but, it may not look like what you imagine change to
look like.
Tom

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:34:31 GMT, "Tom Littleton" wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
Long story short, this is another example of Obama's promised change

in a very real way, it may be. The upside of the Obama victory, and the
folks who propelled it, is an interest in public service by folks outside
the usual bureaucracy. As a more minor example, I have a friend from the
campaign who is so fired up by the idea of service, that he is going to
leave his IT job to run for Prothonotory in Berks County. Roughly, a 60% pay
drop to do so, but that is how Obama affected folks, insofar as a new
dedication to public service. And, getting new blood into the area of public
service is among many changes sorely needed. So, once again, smirk
away......I really think you are determined to miss the point. Change is
happening out there, but, it may not look like what you imagine change to
look like.
Tom

Ah, OK...so as long as intentions are basically good, then all's well. By this
logic, anyone who wishes to offer the least criticism for, as an example,
Michael Brown and/or George Bush, must prove to an, um, metaphysical certainty
that they had bad intentions for every factor that would affect that criticism
or have that critique voided by the "but they didn't INTEND..." rebuttal...

IAC, your anecdote about the IT guy brings up two much more important points,
the first somewhat-expressed by that old, er, "cunard" - the road to hell is
paved with good attentions. I have no idea what actual legal duties the
Prothonotary in BC has, but if it does, I don't see how, generally-speaking, a
person in an "IT job" would have legal training to qualify them for the position
over, say, a notary (a "civil attorney" type notary, not a bank teller with a
stamp and a pen), lawyer, paralegal, legal secretary, etc. Would you advocate
one widely regarded as a truly skilled carpenter being appointed Surgeon
General, or a skilled surgeon being appointed Treasury Secretary...well, OK, so
on that last one, there would be a fair chance that it would be an improvement,
but still....

That brings us to the second point - this civic-minded IT guy isn't being
appointed, he's having to run, and if the people he intends to serve want him to
serve regardless of his qualifications, then so be it.

HTH,
R